Wave-motor.



Patented Jan. 9, 1900.

c. F. RGELL. W A V E M 0 T O B (Application filed Mar. 31, 1898,)

2 ShaetsSheef I.

(No Model.)

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No. 64l,233. Pafented Jan. 9, I900.

c. F. A. RDELL.

WAVE MOTOR.

(Application filed. Mar. 31, 1898.) v I a Model.) 2

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NiTE STATES PATENT men.

c'oRNELIs F. A. RoELL, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO JOHN G. ORTH, on SAME PLACE.

WAVE-MOTOR.

srncrricnrron aiming part of Letters Patent No. 641,233, dated January 9, 1900. Application filed March 31, 1898. Serial No. 675,988. (No model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OoRNELIs F. A. RoELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county'of Los Angeles and State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wave-Motors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. 7

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mechanical devices for utilizing the power of the waves; and my invention consists in certain features of novelty hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure I is a side elevation of my improved device. Fig. II is a plan view. Fig. III is a section taken on line III III, Fig. II. Fig. IV is a sectional View of a modified form of piston-head for regulating the rise and fall of the power-wheel.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a wharf or structure consisting of piles 2 and a platform 3.

4 represents a movable frame formed in two parts and having its inner ends pivoted at 5 to an operating-shaft 6, said operating-shaft being journaled in bearings 7, said bearings being secured by bolts 8 to one of the piles 2.

9 represents a power-wheel composed of solid ends, a central drum 10, and annular rings 11. At the respective ends of the drum are spokes 12, radiating from the drum to the rings 11, and a series of pivoted slats 13, said slats extending between the rings 11 and having their respective ends pivoted at 14 to the spokes 12, saidslats being formed in groups, of which there may be any number. I have shown four in the present instance. (See Fig. 111.

15 represents a series of arms extending from the slats, said arms being preferably connected by means of a link 16, the result being that when one of the slats of the group closes the remaining slats of that respective group will also closeas, for instance, see the upper group in Fig. III-the reverse action taking place when any one of the slats between the group is opened, the remaining slats of the group also opening at the same time. For example, see lower group of slats in Fig. III.

The power-wheel 9 is mounted upon a shaft 17, which has its respective ends j ournaled to the movable frame 4, the power-wheel being fixed to said shaft. As the water or wave travels inwardly, as shown by arrows in Fig. III, the tendency will be, owing to the powerwheel being partially submerged, for the bulk of the ,water to come in contact with the upper portion of the power-wheel. In doing so the group of slats which happen to be on the upper side of the power-wheel at the time are instantly closed by the weight of the water, if it is not already closed by gravity, the pressure of the water against the slats causing the power-wheel to rotate in the direction shown by the outside arrow in Fig. III, the succeeding wave coming in contact with the next group of slats, giving additional momentum to the power-wheel. When the wheel has traveled a sufficient distance for any group of slats to rise above the horizontal, their tendency is to close by gravity as they are pivoted above their centers. For the same reason their tendency is to remain open when below the center of the power-wheel, the result being that the water which travels through the lower portion of the wheel in an inward direction, as shown by arrows in Fig. III, passes freely between the slats and does not thus retard the proper rotation of the power-wheel, and owing to the manner of pivoting the slats the receding Wave passing through the lower portion of the wheel will close the group of slats, thus aiding in driving the power-wheel in the right direction, and the receding wave passing through the upper portion of the power-wheel will force the slats open and pass freely therethrough without retarding the rotation of the power-wheel in the direction shown. In order to direct the greatest quantity of water possible of the incoming wave against the up-.

per portion of the power-wheel, I provide an extending hood 18, located beyond the outer face of the power-wheel. This hood being inclined on its upper surface downwardly, as shown at 19, and outwardly, as shown at 20, the water, striking the inclined portions 19 20, is directed onto the upper surface of the power-wheel. The hood 18 is connected at 21 to an extension of the movable frame 4: .7

and is also braced to said extension by means of bars 23. The flaring sides 20 of the hood extend upwardly to some distance from the portion 19 and direct the water inwardly to the slats of the power-wheel. The under side of the hood 18 is inclined, as shown, in order that the receding wave will meet with as little obstruction as possible in passing from the under side of the power-wheel, the hood 1S converging to a point 24 at its lower end in order to give direction of the water to the power-wheel and at the same time present the least resistance possible to the travel of the incoming wa've.

There are many ways by which power might be transmitted from my improved power-wheel to a pump or air-compressor or similar device. I have shown one means by which this may be accomplished, which consists in placing cranks 25 on the respective ends of the shaft 17, said cranks having their outer ends pivoted at 26 to the outer ends of drive-rods 27,'the inner ends of said driverods being pivoted at 28 to the outer ends of cranks 29 on the shaft 6.

30 represents cranks on the shafts "6, said cranks 30 being coupled by links 31 with sliding blocks 32, the blocks 32 slidingin ways 33 and being connected with piston-rods 34, the upper ends of said piston-rods having pistons 35 thereon workingin pump-cylinders 36 for pumping water for driving machinery or other purposes. Said cylinders may be used as air-compressors, if found desirable.

37 represents a supply water-pipe leading to the cylinders and 38 the discharge-pipes. The respective operating-cranks on the shafts 17 and 6 are placed at different points on the shaft. There being two or more of the pumps a constant action is maintained as thepowerwheel rotates. As the tide or waves rise or fall it is essential to the proper operation of my improved motor that the power-wheel should rise or fall at the same time in order to regulate its position as to the surface of the water. In order to accomplish this, I provide a shaft 39, having its ends secured to the frame 4 ata suitable point in its length, said shaft being guided by blocks 40 operating between the piles 2.

41 represents a piston-rod connected with the shaft 39 at itslower end and having a piston-head 42 on its upper end, said pistonhead 42 operating in a cylinder 43, said cylinderbeing filled, or nearly so, with water or any suitable liquid, gas, or air for forming a cushion for the piston-head, thus prevent ing any shock which might be occasioned by the sudden rise or fall of the powerwheel.

44 represents a by-pass pipe connected at 45 with the upper and lower ends of the cylinder and having a valve 46 in said pipe, the object of said by-pass pipe being to admit of the slow escape of water, air, or gas from one end of the cylinder to the other, according to whether the piston-head is forced upward or downward by the action of the power-wheel, the slow escape of the element confined in the cylinder serving as a cushion to the pis ton-head.

47 represents a supply or drain pipe leading from the pipe 44. In Fig. IV, Ihave shown a slight modification,in which instead of using the by-pass pipe 44 I have formed perforations 48 in the piston-head 42, said perforations allowing a slight passage of the element confined within the cylinder 43, the water or other element passing either upwardly or downwardly through the piston-head, according to whether it rises or falls, and thus serve as a cushion for the same.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a wave-motor, the combination of a power-wheel,slats pivoted to the power-wheel, bars for connecting said slats, means for supporting the power-Wheel and mechanism for transmitting power from the power-wheel, substantially as set forth.

2. In a wave-motor, the combination of a power-wheel, means for adjustably supporting the power-wheel, and a hood located in advance of the power-wheel in order to give direction to the water passing onto the powerwheel, substantially as set forth.

3. In a wave-motor, the combination of a power-wheel, means for supporting the same, means for transmitting power from the powerwheel, ahood located in advance of the powerwheel, said hood being inclined downwardly and outwardly in order to give direction to the water passing to the power-wheel, substantially as set forth.

4. In a wave-motor, the combination of a power-wheel, a movable frame to which the power-wheel is journaled, an extension on said movable frame, and a hood secured to said extension in advance of the power-wheel, substantially as set forth.

5. In a wave-motor, the combination of a suitable structure, a frame having its inner ends pivoted to said structure, a power-wheel journaled to said frame, a cylinder having a cushion medium contained therein, a piston in said cylinder and a piston-rod connecting the piston with the supporting-frame of thepower-wheel, substantially as set forth.

6. In a wave-motor, the combination of a suitable structure, a movable frame having its inner ends pivoted to the structure, a powerwheel supported by said movable frame, a cylinder, a piston operating in the cylinder, a pipe connecting the cylinder at its respective ends and a piston-rod connecting said piston with the movable frame, substantially as set forth.

7. In a wave-motor, the combination of a suitable structure, a movable frame pivoted to the structure, a power-wheel journaled to said frame, a shaft on which said power-Wheel is mounted, cranks connected with said shaft, a shaft located at the inner ends of said frame, cranks on said shaft, drive-rods for connecting the cranks on the respective shafts, a pump-cylinder, a piston operating in said cylinder, a piston-rod connected with said pis- IIO" ton, and a crank on the shaft at the inner end of the operating-frame with which said pistonrod is connected, substantially as set forth.

8. In a wave-motor, the combination of a suitable structure, a frame pivoted to said structure, a power-Wheel journaled to the frame, a compression-cylinder,a piston in said cylinder, a piston-rod connecting said piston with the supporting-frame of the power-Wheel, 10 and orifices extending through said piston to permit the passage of the element confined within the compression cylinder, substantially as set forth.

The foregoing specification signed at Los Angeles, California, this 226. day of March; 15

- OORNELIS F. A. ROELD.

In presence of- J. W. KEMP, JAS. E. KNIGHT. 

